Project: GIF

Title: Design of Diterpenes Using a Combined Structural Biology, Biochemical, and Computational Approach

Description of the Project

The identification of new bioactive substances for the treatment of infectious diseases and their accompanying symptoms, such as excessive immune responses or inflammatory processes, is of great importance. A large number of clinically relevant pharmaceuticals are based on natural substances that can be extracted from various organisms. However, the corresponding substances are usually only found in very low concentrations in their natural source. This and the high extraction costs limit the commercial development of promising drug candidates. A total chemical synthesis is often not a viable alternative due to high raw material costs, low product yields and highly toxic side products.

Synthetic biology offers new possibilities for the presentation of bioactive compounds in recombinant cell systems, which are both more sustainable and more efficient than comparable natural product extractions. In this project, a synergistic approach of in silico models, biochemical and structural biology methods will be used to design new pharmaceutically relevant natural product scaffolds and to optimize the production of these in corresponding cell systems.

Personen: Marion Ringel